I am going to resist the urge to sensationalize this story and instead put the following up for discussion–should asthmatic airline customers be able to veto whether you bring your pet onboard? How about where you sit if you travel with your pet?
While waiting to board a flight on United from Baltimore to Chicago, Donna Wiegel noticed a passenger with a cat in the gate area. She immediately asked a gate agent to ensure she was seated as far away from the feline as possible.
She told NBC News, “I have a lot of respiratory problems and asthma and cats are a trigger that I have to avoid at all costs.”
But onboard, she discovered she was only a few rows away. She demanded that the cat be moved but FAs refused, telling her she could find a passenger to swap seats with. So she did.
Moments later, however, she claims she was escorted off the flight by the FAs and they broke her bag in the process. The reason given for her removal? FAs feared a “medical incident” if they remained onboard.
She was rebooked on another United flight, driven from Baltimore to Washington Dulles and eventually reached Chicago five hours later than planned.
You can watch her interview here.
“The cat got to Chicago in plenty of time. He could have gone out for dinner!”
I see two problems with this story. On the one hand, I believe FAs should have been more accommodating in helping Wiegel find alternate seating. On the other hand, I believe that making demands to move other passengers is invariably counterproductive. I have no idea what her onboard demeanor was, but her self-entiltment may have made FAs less likely to help.
Let’s aside the issue of service animals. I do believe we can all agree that service animals must take priority over allergic passengers. But what about emotional support animals or the fools who don’t label their onboard pets emotional support animals?
While it is regrettable this woman was removed, her hyperventilation at least gave FAs a reasonable indication that a midair medical incident was foreseeable. Had she remained calm, there is no doubt she would have remained on the flight.
Ultimately, I look at it this way — if I have an allergy that makes it impossible to fly near cats or dogs, I expect reasonable accommodation. Unfortunately, that may mean that I must wait for a later flight. Asking FAs not to serve peanuts is one thing, asking that another passenger be removed or placed in a horrible seat because of my allergy is another.
What do you think? How should an airline handle passengers who are allergic to pets?
(H/T View from the Wing)
Unfortunately, passengers use the “allergy or asthma” excuse all the time–even if they are not allergic! I sat one row behind someone who complained loudly to airline staff that she was allergic, and demanding that the offending animal be moved, all the while texting someone about having to “listen to a cat howling” and the “screaming kids” she ended up near. The owner of the cat was super nice and even offered an antihistamine (which was declined, surprise, surprise).
For the record, neither the cat nor the kids made a peep the entire flight.
Some people will do anything to attract attention to themselves.
absolutely. I’m a physician and I forever hear about phantom BS allergies that don’t exist. Don’t get me started on all this nonsense. She she carry an antihistamine. I’ve never heard of an anaphylactic reaction to a cat. Why victimize that tiny innocent little creature.
I have a severe cat allergy which is dangerous as it triggers my asthma. My allergist has warned me to stay away from the homes of people who have cats fearing they could be a real threat for me. I also have numerous drug and plant allergies and wear a Medic Alert bracelet for safety. All this to say I’m surprised a physician (if you truly are) would treat a potentially very serious health threat (my uncle died of an asthma attack) so cavalierly. Luckily, my own physicians are better versed in the dangers allergies can present.
You are so right! The writer of this article is so callous. I hope he never has to gasp for breath and know what it is like to have an asthma attack. I wish we could all get together and find a way to fly safely. Why can’t all the airlines have one pet free flight per day? Why is my pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of a vacation thwarted by animals on planes? Don’t we have rights as well. I consider my allergies and asthma just as much a disability as these people with their so called “need” for an emotional support animal.
I agree with Kate. I have a mild cat allergy that triggers asthma ehich I can take an antihistimine and plow through it until I can get away from the animal. However my son is highly allergic to the point his eyes swell shut and his airways close. His allergist has tested him to determine all allergins. I noticed you didn’t specify what type of doctor you are but thankfully you do not practice medicine near me. As for pets, they should not be allowed in the cabin. There is a fine cargo hold for them to travel in.
Brian, Then your statement of claiming to be a physician is BS. Severe allergy sufferers like my son cannot always be rescued by Benadryl. Antihistamine is fine for hives or itchy eyes but when his throat starts to close up Benadryl does not allows suffice . If you were a true doctor , you would not need this explanation
Well…I don’t know where you got your degree from Doctor…Im allergic to cat dander! I nearly lost my life after going into ANAPHYLACTIC shock! Wow! I can’t believe that you are up here claiming to be a DOCTOR!SMH
Really? Because I have an anaphylactic allergy to cats. I carry 2 EpiPens with me everywhere in case of exposure. I have had epi administered twice in the ED due to accidental exposure. By a licensed physician. And my board-certified allergist has told me that I have to avoid exposure to cats due to my allergies. Until the past few years, people have been understanding. Now, I’m a “freaky and/or liar” similar to how people with peanut allergies have been treated.
Dr. Levy,
Although I respect your level of expertise, not knowing if you are an MD, or your area of expertise. Perhaps anaphylaxis is questionable, However if the passenger experienced asthma, and likely anxiety since the airline chose to have her deplane leaving the cat on the plane,then I call BS on you and your lack of empathy. Hoping you are a DVM. It’s an issue; how did we fly years ago without our animals?
I have very severe allergies particularly to cats. I carry an epi pen, Benadryl, and prednisone on top of taking daily Zyrtec and Adair plus weekly allergy shots. I’m not sure where you received you’re medical degree but as an individual who’s experienced allergic anaphylaxis I find your dismissal of severe allergies inexcusably ignorant. I notify airlines prior to my flight, check in at the desk and inform them of allergens, and get pulled from the line as they sort through my medications. I do not mind taking a different flight for a service animal but fail to see why my health and well-being should be placed in jeopardy for an emotional support animal. They have pills for anxiety too.
My husband is a severe asthmatic who IS highly allergic to cats. God forbid it was a pack of peanuts…
Dan, since the cargo hold shares the same air, it would make no difference. Also, pets died in so-called “nice” cargo holds. If you have allergies, you can check with an airline beforehand if there are pets on the flight and ask for a seat as far as possible. You can also pick the planes with hepa filters.
I have Lupus, which makes me very sensitive to allergens— particularly dog and cat dander. I do everything I am supposed to do to manage my disease and my allergies and all travel arrrangements. My travel profile on all major airlines states that I am allergic to pets. I call the airlines to find flights that do not have pets onboard. I change my flight if when I learn pets are onboard. I work with the airline to get seats away from pets. I travel with three inhalers and an epi-pen. Here is the result: most airlines cannot tell you whether a pet is on the flight until ONE HOUR before boarding. More likely than not, assurances or “all clear” on pets are inaccurate. I routinely encounter pets on flights after I’ve been assured there are none. I -not the pet owner- am always required to change my seat (even if I have paid for a more desirable seat). And seat reassignment is a poor solution… particularly when stuck on a tarmac, when air is not filtered and merely circulating and redistributing dander. I- not the owner of a pet – need to show that I’m fit to travel. Worse, there is no universal requirements that pets be qualified, certified or otherwise be “fit to travel.” (eg I saw a comfort dog lift his leg and pee on a flight attendant; another flight attendant complained that she had been bit and scratched by a “comfort cat.”) I cannot imagine a scenario where anyone would “make up” or exaggerate an allergy. The public shaming alone is enough to make me quietly use my inhalers and (in one case) an epi-pen. I don’t want to be THAT passenger. And the price I pay is very real— not just on dollars, but in the Lupus flares that inevitably follow a flight with pets. Indeed, my autoimmune system goes into overdrive whe. I encourage yer allergens… even prophylactic use of allergy meds can trigger a Lupus flare. So when I see that pet a few rows away from me, I automatically look at my calendar to see what I can reschedule over the next few weeks, because I have some dark days ahead of me. If I had the choice not to fly at all, I would not. But my work requires travel. Lupus requires insurance. (Even with insurance, the out of pocket cost for an epi pen is $500). Insurance requires work. So that begs the question: why can’t there be one flight per day that does not take pets? Seems like a logical and humane solution for all involved. I would pay double the fare to stay healthy.
When you fly with a pet you make arrangements ahead of time. If you have any allergies to pets, you should note that when you book. What’s next? PERFUME? This woman was WRONG not to notify the airline when given the opportunity IN ADVANCE. They are not mind readers.
Having been very briefly married to a woman that certified “emotional support animals” I came to the conclusion it’s by and large a scam. I wouldn’t allow any emotional support animals on a plane, they can ride where animals should ride. This is simply PC gone wild. If someone can’t be without their cat for a few hours, then perhaps they should be in a mental institution instead of a plane full of people.
Many cats are far better behaved than the drunks, thugs, bigots and assorted misfits who erupt on an airplane. No one forces anyone to take a flight. If the airline wishes to sell access to the cabin to someone with a companion critter, so be it. What is PC gone wild is the forcing of people’s alleged needs on others. The so called allergies are more often psychosomatic than a physical reaction to animal saliva or dander. More specifically, the likelihood of a critter located several rows away causing an allergic reaction is remote. It is more likely that someone in close proximity might have come in contact with their own kitty or dog and is transporting the saliva proteins or dander. And yet, even then, the quantity is still insufficient to cause a life threatening reaction. In the slight chance, the very slight chance, that someone is that susceptible, the person should not be traveling or in contact with anyone else who presents the risk of causing a reaction.
No airline will have this problem with me, because as much as my cat yowls on the 2-block drive to the vet, he’d probably invoke World War III on a flight. Needless to say, Hercules goes to the kennel when we travel.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but as long as they’re in a carrier that can fit under the seat, don’t all airlines allow cats, regardless of whether you attach the “emotional support” moniker or not? I always thought you could take one anytime, as long as you were willing to pay the fee. If that is indeed the case, I don’t know what recourse you’d really have, aside from telling the airline in advance that you’re allergic. Seems like if you pay the fee to carry an animal in the cabin in accordance with the contract of carriage, you and the cat have the right to be there.
The FAA should disclose the presence of the animal far enough in advance to allow for passengers traveling with medical issues to change their flight. This disclosure should be for the cabin or cargo holds. This will be fair as where I come from, people’s medical concerns are important on both sides. In response to one comment—it is difficult to remain calm when one suddenly cannot breathe. Is there an option for people to fly in the cargo hold?
“I do believe we can all agree that service animals must take priority over allergic passengers.” I know I don’t agree with this. Why should someone with a legitimate documented need for a service animal trump someone with a legitimate documented allergy to such animal?
From a legal perspective, I understand that service animal owners are in a special class so at least today they get precedence but I don’t see how it’s fair, and telling the asthma sufferer to “suck it up” as you did in your response is basically stating their needs are marginalized. I wonder if you would have the same opinion if Augustine had a severe dog allergy?
The really sad thing is that we could make use of technology to at least reduce the impact of this but won’t, in part due to the same PC looniness that allows a single person to take two untrained pit bulls on board as “service animals”.
If any passenger bringing an animal on board had to register the type of animal 24 hrs prior and those with allergies could indicate their allergies on their booking, the computers could identify any potential issues early enough to at least mitigate the conflict.
I think your last paragraph is a great solution — perhaps one day block-chain technology will allow this to easily be registered and such conflict headed off well in advance.
I also believe the Airline could then easily send an email out to all passengers noting that a dog or cat would be on the flight, and offering free changes / upgrades to those with medically documented issues. I would much prefer to know ahead of time and would happily take a different flight with enough notice to get away from a cat that might put me in the hospital!
Thank you! I too disagree with the ‘animals taking priority.’ I can say that for TRUE service animals YES – or at least that person and the asthmatic/allergic person have EQUAL rights (sometimes the person needing the service animal more). Emotional support animals and pets NO. A non-service animal should not take priority over a human, ever. People are so into their pets that they lose sight of this or think that animals have as many rights as humans. Yes I have allergies and can take all the medicine I want but will still be affected. When I was pregnant forget it no amount of medicine could have made me breathe well enough to sit on an airplane with an animal.
I agree – I don’t understand why the rights of a person traveling with a pet (as opposed to a service animal of some sort (not wading into the different kinds of service animals)) trump the rights of the allergic passenger.
It would seem as though if someone were to have a serious reaction after having asked to be reseated, there’d be hell to pay on an ADA claim.
The cat should have been booted off the plane per United’s denied boarding protocol:
1. The cat did not have a confirmed seat assignment (being under a seat does not count)
2. The cat probably paid the least amount of money
3. The cat was on one of United new Basic Economy fares
4. The cat had no status in Mileage Plus
Clearly a violation of the new protocol
Rebuttal:
You thought trying to re-accommodate a doctor was bloody, try it with a cat.
They’d have had to bring in ERT, and even then it’d pretty much end up looking like a remake of the vorpal bunny scene from Monty Python’s Holy Grail.
Just sayin’
activate her oxygen mask ?
I’m sorry I’m a pet lover myself but I also have people with pet allergies in my family. So coming from both sides. I find the request to move the animal completely ridiculous. Airplanes are sealed enviroments with ciculated air. Sitting further fron the pet would not have eliminated her risk.
Air planes have surprisingly contained air zones. Most air circulates in a section of about 3 – 4 rows, and is changed out very often. Hence why people with peanut allergies can travel in one cabin and peanuts can be served in another. Moving 4 or 5 rows away from the cat would suffice in most cases.
The main issue being in a business class cabin where there are usually only a few rows and someone has to give up the cabin. I believe this to be the pet owner who wants the privelege of bringing there pet, not the passenger with the medical issue affected by the pet.
Ha. Yeah it doesn’t sound “right” but I agree with Gary and UA. The lady goes, not the cat.
Why? Because she had a problem with the cat, not the other way around. The onus is on her.
Same thing as the rabbis who have the nerve to ask women to move.
Maybe the person who needs the cat for “emotional” support should be the one scrutinized, moved someplace else on the plane or told to get off. I’d be more worried about THAT (’emotional’) person losing control, going bonkers, than the other one who has successfully changed her seat with another willing passenger (who at this point felt safely far enough away from the cat).
This. is a perfect example of lack of common sense. Frankly, if you need a dog, cat, rooster, pony etc to keep you calm enough to travel through an airport or fly, then maybe you need to stay home in your safe place and get some psychiatric help. Take a sedative or get a traveling human companion to assist you with your “trauma” through life. People/passengers are sick of this crap – why do hundreds of people need to be annoyed by one mental nut-job who needs a constant pet. Invisible disability my foot. My “invisible” annoyance should have just as much clout.
I’m going to have to take the side of the cat, in this instance. I had a cat for over fifteen years, and she was a lot better behaved than some humans, whom I’ve known. I’ve seen animals on flights, and it has been my experience that they behave much better than humans. For one thing, they don’t continuously kick your seat, or make noise.
Why the assumptions that the cat was an emotional support animal? They likely paid extra to bring it onboard and followed all the rules. Sometimes you need to travel with your pet out of necessity or for other perfectly reasonable reasons (ex. relocating). When I have traveled with pets on Delta, they require advanced notice and it’s $150 each way to bring a pet on board so would not be happy to be asked to move seats or not fly. And would never put an animal in baggage as the airlines regularly lose or kill them. As travel with pets is so very common these days, if this lady did have such a severe allergy I would imagine she would have the foresight to have contacted the airline prior, who would likely have been aware of the cat. Sounds like she wanted lots of attention and it backfired. Totally team cat on this one.
Letting the airline know in advance that you have a reactive allergy is asking for trouble, namely YOU will be the one escorted off (there was a recent example of a family on AA who made the mistake of mentioning this (peanut allergy) when they got on a flight). They were immediately asked to get off (for fear of one of their teens would die enroute). Frankly they were a bit of DYKWIA types and just wanted the attention and special treatment. People have always dealt with this in the past without so much fuss and now everyone wants the attention grabbing (“poor me, I need help/ assistance”) at the cost of everyone on the plane. The offender should have to come up with a solution, not the bystanders.
Outrageous that the rights of a cat would trump the rights of a human. I can’t believe this is even a debate.
I have asthma and cats are a trigger. I have this noted on my travel profile. I have travelled on a flight with a cat, and I did not hyperventilate simply at finding out this information. I was not seated near the cat.
Most of this article is thoughtful, and I agree that her attitude may or may not have helped, and her hyperventilation is reasonable to worry the crew.
Here’s my problem with this article. Why do service animals get priority over other disabilities? Why do we prioritize/rank disabilities? (Asthma is a disability in some jurisdictions, not sure if it is where the author is.) Why can’t we think of ways to accommodate all disabilities in a thoughtful way, instead of ranking disabilities and prioritizing those we feel are “higher” than others? The air in many airplanes is highly filtered wth a hepa filter, so being seated far away should be fine in most cases. Some thoughtfulness around boarding would allow both the service animal assisting the one disabled person and the person with the asthma disability to both board the same plane.
My canine allergy triggers my asthma. Flying has become a matter of Russian roulette health wise due to the boom of ESAs in the enclosed cabins. I do my part by notifying the airline well in advance, carrying a letter from my allergist and taking an antihistamine. I try hard to make airline employees jobs easier by being polite and cordial. Some airlines have been more understanding and helpful than others.
Air travel needs to be safe for all, and some of us need dander free air to be safe.
Both of my parents and my aunt have died recently, so not flying hasn’t been an option. I live both in fear of getting kicked off of a flight because a dog has priority or of suffering an asthma exacerbation with no way of of escape at 30,000 feet.
The first line of treatment for asthma is to avoid triggers. I try hard, but the current culture of humanizing dogs isn’t helping. I am willing to sacrifice for a person who has a genuine need for a service dog. I am hoping that a true licensing program will be legislated to protect everyone involved and to make it easier for everyone except the imposters.
I love animals but it always shocks me when i read that people believe a pet (putting aside real service animals) is more important than a human being. What about the kid on the plane whose parents don’t appreciate the severity of their asthma – why do airlines like Air Canada put them at the back of the plan in the last five rows yet westjet has the decency to put them nearer the front of the plane. Knowing how long it takes to deplane, the risk to a serious asthmatic is far higher being at the back of a plane and having to pass through the cabin where a cat was located for the whole flight. What has happened to common sense????? I guess Air Canada was able to tick the box of what Transport Canada asked them to do.
OK, first of all animals should not be allowed in the plane. This incident of animals biting kids and all is getting out of hand. Airplane is for human beings and not animals. Support dog is a fluke that needs to stop right away. I am praying that one day an animal bites and kills its owner on the plane and may be then this nonsense will stop.
You do realize that many people believe that kids shouldn’t be allowed on a plane either, right? What do you want people to do with their pets when they travel? Throw them away. No. You’re saying nonsense.
Actually its you that are talking nonsense. The expectation is for the pets to be placed with pet sitters while “they travel”. And if a pet owner cannot afford a pet sitter (or make similar arrangement), “they” shouldn’t be privileged to own a pet to begin with. This debate is not about human rights vs. animal rights. This debate is about 1 traveler being more privileged than 17 other travelers – approx 174 seats on a Boeing 737 with an estimated 10 percent of people being allergic to household pets, (cat allergies are twice as common as dog allergies, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology).
If I got on a plane a saw a cat, I would be very anxious due to knowing that a frightening asthma attack, hives, swollen eyes, etc was coming… it happens every time. It’s a panic response bc you know it’s coming and you’re trying to get away from the threat to your life.. (that’s what would happen to me). It’s a neurological response called “Fight or Flight”… I guess you could call it a sort of post traumatic stress which ironically would get me an emotional support animal if I wasn’t allergic to things with fur. Pet allergies are truly limiting. I love animals but I cannot be around them. If I get into an allergic response it sometimes lasts for days through several doses of Benadryl and ends in an upper respiratory infection and doctor or ER visits. Many folks experience progressively worse symptoms with each exposure. I wouldn’t be rude on a flight but would definitely be frantic knowing that it’s severe and the next one could be deadly. If flights would ensure that folks who disclose the allergies were accommodated with a pet free flight then I could probably do that. Please don’t assume that all folks with these allergies are faking and overly dramatic. Have an asthma attack and then tell me about your thoughts on being overly dramatic. I don’t intend to fly but may find myself in a position that necessitates it. I hope the folks I encounter have more compassion and understanding for my health issues (as I would for others). Asthma attacks can kill. Look up anaphylaxis. Look up status asthmaticus.
Suggestions: dog/cat and accompanying humans be placed in back rows of planes (so allergens Stating fromt he beginning, my greatest sympathy is for the human who truly suffers from asthma reaction to pet dander. I also give mercy to the perrsons requiring a service animal. Here’s my suggestions: One, Airline should create reserved seats in back of plane for animals & their humans. (this works airplane circulation system to cleanest advantage & gives other humans the advantage of picking seats further forward always. I’m suggesting airlines Treat pet seats like hotel treat rooms for smokers. Allow human passengers to choose “allergen-distanced” seating . I love dogs, I own a dog but I have seen people suffering from asthma attack brought on by a cat, a rabbit, and a dog.
Two, install some type of hepa filters in circulatory system for that area of the plane.
Three, the economics & sustaining part of suggestion: Knowing the animal friendly seats would probably cost our poor airlines money for keeping these seats in reserve, let’s think outside the box … those same airlines could begin renting personal hygenic oxygen masks for the flights,… (I’d rent one just to avoid the germs no matter how goofy it looks.) Also same airline could demand animal flying is in self-contained hepa-type carrier … think of the money to be made! Purchased & proved OR rented by airline at the service-dog potty areas. Attendants in newly created job, & free pet treat gets attendant a nice tip – good for the economy so far? Charge the right amount, and cost for pet seats, and free ride for service animals will be covered along with a big profit. Entrepreneurs on your mark, get set …! PS Airlines, allow your customers to easily check a box for pet allergen distance just like they do comfort seats.
People who bring there shitty kitty on a plane need there butt kicked. The airlines are retarded for allowing an animal who causes allergic reaction in many humans to board their plane. Throw the cat and the person who brought it on the plane out at 30,00 feet. Deserved.
The person who booked first should have the rights to stay on the plane. and the person who booked after should be given other options.
WOW – interesting comments. A friend and I were debating this yesterday. She a cat lover without allergies. Me the person with allergies. I think we all know how that discussion went. I brought it up with another friend and she said this: “I would of sided with your cat lover friend over the “cats on a plane” debate but not after seeing the reaction you had a couple years ago after 5 minutes of exposure to a cat”…. so the moral of this entire story is, people who have no experience with allergies really have no business making comments. And yes, bumping a human from a flight due to an allergy to a cat on the same flight is absurd. And not only bumping them but making they pay extra for it! There are ways to alleviate this because stupid is as stupid does and ignorance is bliss, the allergic person can bring a well designed hepa mask to wear, airlines can install better air filtration devices, cats and their non-understanding owners should be limited to certain rows only – in the back. And, I’ve read that animals should be crated and under the seat – the crate should also be covered to avoid loose dander flying around. I’ve had allergy shots for over a decade and take daily medication. I had several adverse reactions to allergy shots where the allergists were left scratching their heads. One office had to change their procedures for the entire practice because of a reaction I had. And the “doctor” who minimized allergic issues above, there is no way that “doctor” is a medical doctor.
Oh man, I in the middle of this annoying problem! My 17 year old just had her first anaphylaxis reaction to cats. She is very allergic to dogs, cats and horses and the reactions have been getting worse. It was scary – she reacted in a home with 2 cats and didn’t even see the cats – that’s how bad it’s gotten. Rushed to the ER, was given Epi, Steroids, Benedryl and zantac all through IV…very quickly. Thank goodness the meds did their thing. We have a flight across country to visit family in 4 days and WestJet can’t do anything to help us. They simply cannot guarantee a flight without cats or dogs. The 4.5 hour flight we are on has a dog and a cat. I asked if we could move to a different flight, but they said my fare is not refundable so I would have to buy a last minute ticket on a different flight AND they still cannot guarantee no pets. If someone books after us and wants to bring their cat, they cannot say no. I don’t know what to do, except tell my 17 year old that flying is not going to be an option for her. This is not itchy eyes and all the other annoying symptoms she has dealt with all her life….her most recent reaction was terrifying. Covered in hives, face twice its size, not sure how her lips did not split…she did not look like herself. And it happened FAST. There was not much time. The plane would not be able to land quickly enough. I wish there was an airline that could just not allow cats and dogs in cabins on a few flights a week or something…just so she would have an option. Doesn’t sound like it.
“Let’s aside the issue of service animals. I do believe we can all agree that service animals must take priority over allergic passengers.”
Why do they must take priority over someone who can die of an asthma attack?” I’m confused by this statement.
I not only can have a deadly asthma attack, but even if I don’t immediately react, or even after I recover from one, hours later the asthma attack frequently returns. Often I will come down with respiratory illness that turns into severe bronchitis, after exposure to a cat. This can cause breathing issues for months, and be life threatening.
Everyone is so careful about being accommodating to “disabled” people… people in wheel chairs etc. well asthmatics (severity level varies vastly) have a terrifying and often horribly suffering disability as well. It just can’t be immediately seen, or as evidenced by someone in a wheelchair.
It’s way past time for asthma sufferers to go on the protected and accommodation list for disabilities, and to not face prejudice.
Oh and by the way I am a huge animal lover. I am saddened constantly by the inability to go near cats. I find it unfair when many don’t like animals but have no allergies. When I was a child I had fantastic dreams of becoming a vet, only for them to be smashed by growing allergies. We don’t choose to be allergic, it is an unfortunate and unfair part of life. Don’t punish us for our sufferings, or our panicked fear that we won’t be able to breathe or will suffer for months and possibly die.